Meningitis strikes Ireland program student
By NELLIE WILLIAMS
News Writer
When Julia Fletcher left for the Saint Mary's Ireland program in September, she was not expecting what was to come five months later.
After struggling with a bout of mononucleosis, Fletcher woke up Feb. 23 tired, with a fever and sick to her stomach. She thought she just had the flu. Less than twenty-four hours later, she was admitted into intensive care in the hospital for having type C meningitis.
After attending some morning classes, Fletcher went back to her room and slept the rest of the day. Later that night, she had an extremely high temperature and couldn't move her legs much. She also noticed big bruises and spots appearing on her body, but just thought she had bumped into something earlier. When the counselor of the Ireland Program came over to see her, she called the doctor right away.
"I just thought it was the flu — even when the doctor came that night," Fletcher said.
Fletcher was so weak she couldn't get out of bed. The doctor gave Fletcher two shots of penicillin immediately.
"[The penicillin] is what keep her alive," says Fletcher's mother, Mary Claire Suddendorf. "She came 20 to 30 minutes of dying."
When hearing that her daughter had been hospitalized and put on a respiratory breathing system, Suddendorf panicked.
"We just couldn't get there fast enough," Suddendorf said. "We were just hoping she would still be there when we got there."
Fletcher was put on medications and monitored very closely. She left the hospital two weeks later.
Carolyn Langley, director of the Saint Mary's Ireland program, was very proud of how everyone handled the situation in Ireland.
"Everyone was so very calm and sane," she said. "They were wonderful caregivers."
Everyone who had come into close contact with Fletcher immediately received prophylactic preventative antibiotics.
Although the cause of meningitis is not known, college students have a greater potential risk of contacting it.
According to the American College Health Association, "meningitis is an inflammation of the linings of the brain and spinal cord caused by either viruses or bacteria." Meningitis symptoms are very similar to the flu: fever, severe sudden headache, etc. A rash can also erupt on the arms and legs or bruises may appear sporadically on the victim.
Dormitory living, smoking, and alcohol consumption adds to students' risk. Meningitis is transmitted though the air in the form of respiratory secretion droplets or with direct contact of an infected person. However, the bacteria usually do not live outside the body for more than a few minutes.
"Five to eleven percent of the general population carries meningococcal bacteria in the nose and throat in a harmless state," (American College Health Association).
Although the annual incidence of the virus in the United States is only about 1.5 cases per 100,000 persons comprising all age groups, it is still a devastating illness when it hits. An immunization against the meningococcal disease is available at most health services. The immunization approximately lasts up to three years. Director of Saint Mary's Health Services, Judy Kenney, recommends the vaccine.
"It mimics the flu and then it's such a switch when you realize it's meningitis," Kenney said. "I recommend it for everyone. If you can prevent it, why not?" she said.
Fletcher, who is now back home in Michigan, is recuperating from some minor hearing loss, muscle weakness, and sores.
"I had to basically relearn how to walk. I lost a lot of muscle mass," Fletcher said.
Her mother feels it could have been a lot worse. Fletcher is concentrating on finishing her classes at home.
"I'm doing really great," she said. "It's quite a miracle."
All News Stories for Thursday, March 23, 2000
